Miss Goslin, a second-year nursing student at Plymouth University, thanked the coastguard for their "fantastic" work so far.

"But I know what dad's like," she added. "He will be doing anything in his power to make sure he and his fellow three crew mates are safe.

"Don't give up, they need your help."

She said she had been told by the yacht's owners Stormforce Coaching the life raft was designed for 12 people so would have had plenty of space and provisions for her father and the three other men.

'Rational thinking'

The four crew members are Mr Goslin, 56, from West Camel, Somerset; Andrew Bridge, 22, from Farnham, Surrey, the yacht's skipper; Steve Warren, 52, also from Somerset, and 23-year-old James Male, from Southampton.

The men were sailing back from a regatta in Antigua when the boat began taking on water and diverted to the Azores.

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

Their families believe they escaped into an on-board life raft.

The coastguard said locator beacons activated by the crew indicated they were in a position 1,000 miles east of Massachusetts on Friday morning.

"Those beacons don't work if they're wet so we've got reasons to believe they're in the life raft because they're dry and they're together," Miss Goslin added.

Mr Male's father told ITV Meridian: "They waited until the first beacon had run out before they actually set the second beacon - that's rational-thinking people."

'A bit numb'

A spokeswoman for the coastguard said on Monday morning that unless there were "new developments about the case" the search would not be resumed.

"We know they've worked hard for two days but my husband and I and my other son and the other families all wish them to resume the search for these four men."

Mr Goslin's wife Cressida said the search should be resumed for a couple of days, adding: "We just feel that they're not being given a chance.

"If we don't try to rescue them we're just going to leave them to starve to death."

'Extreme conditions'

The RYA said typical supplies on a life raft would include survival suits, water, food, flares and a first aid kit.

The search took place over more than 4,100 square miles in the mid-Atlantic

Three US and Canadian aircraft and three merchant vessels looked for the men on Friday and Saturday but called off the search on Sunday at 5am local time.

The yacht was facing 15ft waves, 50mph winds and sea and air temperatures of 15C (60F), the US Coastguard said.

The rescuers say they consider "weather conditions, emergency equipment, and the anticipated condition of the people for whom we are searching".

Calling off the hunt on Sunday, Capt Anthony Popiel said: "Based on the extreme conditions at sea, but assuming best-case emergency equipment, the estimated survival time past the time of distress was approximately 20 hours. Crews searched for 53 hours."

The crew of the 1,000ft Maersk Kure took this picture of what appeared to be an overturned yacht

On Saturday, a cargo vessel which was helping with the search spotted and photographed an overturned hull which matched the description of the Cheeki Rafiki.

But Petty Officer Rob Simpson, from the US Coastguard, said the ship had "lacked the manoeuvrability, capacity and ability to help".

"It has a fairly limited possibility of picking anything up," he added.

"It is not designed for search and rescue capabilities or anything like that or trained to do anything like that."

Television presenter Ben Fogle also added his support, adding: "We've heard too many stories over the years of shipwrecked sailors found in tiny rafts.

"If they don't have a beacon that's emitting, that doesn't mean they've perished."

Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.

Alistair Hackett explains how people survive inside a life raft

The 12-person life raft they are believed to have had on board would typically be 1.66m high and 3.3m across.

Alistair Hackett from suppliers Ocean Safety said it would have likely had one litre of water per person on board, as well as survival equipment like flares and thermal protective suits.

'Highly unlikely'

Kay Coombes, sister of missing Mr Warren, said: "They are four strong-minded, physically strong sailors, they knew they were in difficulties and had every opportunity to get into the life raft which would have had provisions for several days.

"But if no-one is looking for them, they won't be found."

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first man to sail single-handedly around the world, said: "Knowing the US Coastguard, I do feel one's got to listen to them.

A typical 12-person life raft, similar to that believed to have been on board Cheeki Rafiki, would have been equipped to the international standard ISO 9650, says Alistair Hackett from suppliers Ocean Safety.

That standard specifies everything from the type of fabric and glue used to make the raft to the emergency contents it must have on board.

The raft and its emergency pack would have included one litre of water per person, Mr Hackett says, as well as flares, thermal protective aids, paddles, pumps and a 30m line to tow a drogue to steady the craft.

"They know more about this than anyone else."

But he added: "Isn't it just worth just one more check, just to make sure?"

However oceanographer Simon Boxall from University of Southampton said: "It is highly unlikely, beyond reasonable doubt, that they would have missed a life raft; they are bright red or bright orange.

"And if the people were in a life raft and were aware there were rescue aircraft they would have had distress flares and beacons on board and they would have deployed them."

The coastguard has said it extends its "deepest condolences to the family and friends" of the men.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said it was aware of the missing yacht: "We are in continual contact with the US Coastguard and are providing consular assistance to the families."

BBC links

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.